Untitled Runaways Project
by ZdrowcaB
Summary: The summary is in the introduction of the fic. It is pretty much what I think happens to Karolina in her journey to her home planet.
1. Chapter 1

Untitled Runaways Project.

This fanfic actually came to me in a dream. I'm a pretty big Runaways fan, so I thought it would be great to write a story of Karolina's journey to her homeworld of Majesdane and her relationship with Xavin. I haven't written any fanfiction in around five years, so I might be a bit rusty (this chapter is a tad short). Chances are this story will be several chapters long. Hope the reader enjoys. (I am unfamiliar with Skrull history; I'm something of a DC gal. All my knowledge on Skrulls is from wikipedia and what I thought was implied in the 8th issue)

_Please don't be sad for me_ (stop) _I love you all very much_ (stop) _Keep Running_ (stop).

With that, my first transmission to my friends ended. I have never felt the emptiness that I am feeling now in a while. The ship was slightly cramped. The hum of the computers filled the ship. Monitors glared and showed what looked to be different solar systems. I sat in the rear of the ship while Xavin quietly steered the ship away from Earth. I watched, as the blue ball of water quickly became a memory. I could sense awkwardness between us, so I decided to say anything to break the ice.

"Uh, this is a nice ship you have here, its…cozy…" That sounded stupid. If anything, I wish I didn't say anything at all.

"You do not need to be polite with me, Karolina. This ship is merely a patrol vessel. Once we get back to my outpost, then you will truely see the beauty of my people's technologies." Xavin then turned around and smiled at me. " I know that this must be difficult for you, but I am glad you decided to come with me. I know that our union will end this war."

That last sentence didn't sound too convincing. "You don't seem too optimistic about our 'union"

Xavin's smile disappeared and she slowly said, "It will end…there are so many of us that want it to end…. On the other hand, there is the older generation. I don't know if they live for fighting or if they just live in fear that other planets will try and take over our empire the moment we show any sign of weakness… I want to show them and my people that what we are doing isn't a weakness, but essential the survival of both our worlds."

She sounds so sure of herself. I need to be more like that. I have to stop doubting my actions but I just can't get out of the rut I find myself in all the time. I felt so stupid after I tried to kiss Nico. I should have known that she wasn't in love with me…why did I do that? Why do I always mess things up? I feel like such a—

"Is there something wrong, Karolina? You seem more depressed than when we left earth. I will try to make your transition as easy as possible. If there is anything that you need, do not hesitate to ask." She leaned in towards me and said: "You know, you are beautiful. It is to your disadvantage if you continue to worry about troublesome things."

"Huh? Oh, uh, it's nothing! Don't worry about me, I'm fine now." I could feel myself blush. Suddenly I didn't feel so lonely anymore.

"Before we reach Majesdane, we will have to stop at my outpost. There are some errands that I need to run. Also, I cannot go there without proper protection. There is a temporary truce between our people but that does not mean an overzealous member of the Light Brigade will not see it as an opportunity to become a hero to his people." Xavin said sadly.

"How long will it take to reach your outpost?" I asked.

"Approximately four hours. Within that time I think that you should rest. The errands that I need to do also involve you. They might take a bit of time to do. I have to introduce you to all of my subordinates in order to let them know that you are not a threat" She then stood up and reached behind the chair I was sitting on.

"If it only means that I have to stand by you and look friendly, I think that I should be fine, right?" I said. From the rear of the chair, Xavin took out a small gray cube. It looked like a paperweight.

"If only it were that easy, love." She put my hand in hers and gently squeezed it.

"What do you mean by that?" I began to grow nervous as the box lit up. The moment the cube was turned on, I felt drowsy. My eyes felt heavy as I tried to stay awake in hopes of an answer to my question.

"'You need not worry. Just sleep, Karolina.'" Were the last words I was able to hear before I gave in to my drowsiness.

Well I forgot to put a disclaimer in the beginning, so here it goes. I do not own, nor did I create _Runaways_. It is owned by Marvel Comics and was created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona. Reviews are welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

Untitled Runaways Project chapter 2

I felt so happy. It was as if all of my worries and anxieties left me. Looking down, I could only see a haze of colors. In the back of my mind I could hear voices urging me to move forward. The voices sounded vaguely familiar…it was a man's and a woman's…my parents? Strange, I almost forgot how they sounded like. Suddenly I remembered several other things. Nico…I had feelings for her, but I don't see her anywhere. Chase, Molly, Gert, Old Lace, and Victor. Why am I suddenly thinking of them? I then remember that I may never be able to go back to earth. Whatever feelings of euphoria I felt were no longer with me. I am alone in this vast sea of colors.

" Karolina, you have to wake up. We are almost at my outpost," I hear from a distance. I opened my eyes too see Xavin staring out the window. I looked out as well and saw _something_ that made George Lucas' galaxy far away look like a set of floating tin cans.

" Wow, its huge. It's amazing…" I couldn't find words to describe how massive and majestic it was in front of us.

The center was spherical in shape. For the moment, it looked spherical. Each moment I looked at it, it seemed to change shape and color ever so slightly. From what I could figure out, the "Space Station," or whatever it was, looked different at different angles. It remained spherical in shape but the shifting colors made it look like that its shape was changing as well.

" I know. I took quite some time to actually get it to this location, but thankfully my people were able to situate it in this area. Not far away is Majesdane…." Xavin flinched at the end of the sentence. She suddenly looked uneasy and paced to the front of the ship. The lighted cube I saw before I fell asleep was placed on her seat. She picked it up and moved towards me.

" This cube…it is something like a travel log. It records all of the important areas I have visited from the day I was born. If you looked at it, Majesdane only appears once. My battleship only orbited the planet after my parents died. The thought of going there…going to the planet my parents decided to take over is… unnerving." She then sat down and steered the ship closer to the outpost.

" I'm a little nervous too. I don't know anything about my race…but how will our marriage work? What if they don't accept? After all, my parents were the ones that started this war, right? What if…they blamed me for this mess…?" I began to realize one thing. What if this was all just a lie to just give me up as a sort of "gift" to lead to peace between their worlds?

" From what I can tell, your parents' punishment was banishment to Earth, correct? You were not a part of whatever schemes led to their expulsion, so I cannot see a reason why they would want to do you harm. Your parents are dead, so they shouldn't have to fear anything from you." Xavin finally landed the ship into the outpost and stood up. "Do not worry about anything. I will make sure that nothing will happen to you. She moved towards the exit and I followed her out.

" We will also have to do something about your earth clothes, but that will have to wait. Just stay close to me and try not to look anyone in the eye…seriously. Many of my people are very leery of outsiders. Even with the truce there are many that are reproachful of anyone who may be from Majesdane." She then changed her appearance. Her dark skin turned green and scales grew around her neck. Her hair became a deep shade of green. Seeing her as a skrull made her look more menacing.

She then grabbed my hand and started we started walking through the wide corridors of the station. The halls weren't crowded, but I couldn't help but feel that the gazes of the people that were present. The walls were a dull gray with what I assumed were maps of the station posted on them. From the quick glances I took at the maps, I was able to see that there were different sections to the space station and each one was color-coded.

" What are we going to do here anyway?" I asked. I was growing even more nervous as we entered another part of the station. The section we entered was much more crowded and more active. With each step we took the bustling crowds that were around us grew quiet and parted where we walked. If I wasn't so nervous I would have started cracking up at the sight. Xavin didn't seem to hear my question. Her face simply stared straight ahead as if she were in deep thought.

" Uh, Moses? How long until we get to wherever it is where we're going…?" I asked again.

" Hmm? Moses? I do not understand. A little farther is where some of my extended family live. I was planning on introducing you …but who is Moses?"

" Uh, don't worry about it, just a sad attempt at a joke" I replied.

At the end of the hall there were several heavily armed guards. They all looked identical with purple and black uniforms. Each of them stared at me with the intention of firing their weapons. One of them fired a shot at the floor near me. It happened so quickly; Xavin stepped in front of me and said something in another language. Her right hand held the barrel of the gun of one of the guards while left hand stayed behind her back. I could see her fingertips turning red. Flames quickly grew around her hands and through to her upper arms. The barrel of the gun melted in the guards' hands, who began to scream in agony. The rest of the guards began to talk with each other and lowered their weapons. She muttered something under her breath and the guards simply nodded.

" I-I-I thought there was a truce between everyone," I said. My knees felt weak and my heart was racing.

" There is, but there a lot of people here that are against my proposal and anything having to do with ending the war. Luckily they seem to be a minority, so there should be no problems. Those guards do not know anything other than shooting anything that moves. Those fools were nothing I could not handle. Lets just go in. They can take care of themselves." She took my hand again and led me into the room.

This room was nothing like the halls I was in previously. Across from where I was standing, there were several windows that showed a beautiful view of the space outside. The walls were decorated with a strange pattern that I have never seen before. To me, it looked like flames and scales were overlapping.

" This is the common room, Karolina. Straight ahead leads to the dining room. To the left is where the extended family lives. The rooms on the right are reserved for you. I was able to install the communication system that will allow you to contact your friends on earth. That alone required an entire the space of half the size of the patrol ship that brought us here. We can't share rooms yet, not until we are all sure that Majesdane will accept our offer, but judging from their losses–"

She suddenly stopped talking when a group of skrulls entered the common room. They were a group of five; all of them carried an aura of elegance and grace…. for a group of evil alien invaders who have tried to take over Earth many times before. In the center of the five was a tall male skrull. His pointed ears and piercing eyes felt like they would actually cut me in half if I looked at him the wrong way. On his right was a female skrull who looked just as intimidating. She had a pistol resting loosely at her side. She was just as tall as the man, which made her look even more threatening. To his left was a shorter woman. She was looked around my height, but unlike the rest of the group she looked less menacing. Her right hand in her jacket pocket while her left hand held on to a large suitcase. Behind the older three were two younger children. They all wore purple and black suits, but there were crests on their sleeves and chest that proved that they were royalty of some sort.

" As usual I see you are always accommodating, my liege," The tall male skrull said. He voice was extremely deep. I could feel it in my chest as he spoke.

" Uncle, there is no need for titles here. It is fine with me if you simply address me by my name," Xavin sighed. The male skull strolled over to her patted her on the back a few times.

" Ah, but what would your father think. Look at you, you're a girl now, not that there is anything wrong with that," he quickly added while glancing at the tall female skrull. " I care for the future of our empire. How would it look if their leader turned to 'the fair' gender while in the midst of peace negations with Majesdane? That decision reeks of an identity crisis, do you not agree?"

For the first time, I saw Xavin stutter and falter in her actions. "Well, you see, it is because, I was simply…not thinking correctly…" With that she turned back to her male form and looked at me and then turned to her uncle. " My reflexes are quicker as a female, so it would have helped me as a pilot."

" If you insist, just try not to make our family look bad," he said.

" Uncle, here is my bride, Karolina Dean. I think the Majesdanian government would find her to be no threat." The male skrull walked over to me and patted me on the back. I had to stop myself from falling with how strong he was.

" Dean, you say?" He asked turning to me. "Your parents were amazing people. To have the moral fiber to go against their people and tell the Skrulls the location of their home world is noteworthy. I hope that you inherited their spirit, yes?" With his hand still on my back, he led me closer to the group that he arrived with.

"Uh, maybe," was all I could answer.

" I take it Xavin was supposed to introduce you to my family, correct? Well, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I play the role of host for the time being. I am Ewe Fareek and I am the General of the Skrull Army." He said the last sentence with such force that the children standing near us were slightly quivering.

He then introduced my to the other tall woman, who happened to be his wife. She simply nodded in my direction. The two children were his and the smaller woman with the suitcase was their tutor. All four of them ignored me.

" Is this all the family Xavin has left?" I asked.

"Well with you included, no." He then moved his head closer to mine and whispered, " Xavin has not had many friends in his life. I **will** kill you myself if I sense something bothering him within the next few weeks. Now pretend I have just told you one of my war stories."

I nearly collapsed after his threat but I somehow remained standing and said, "Wow, that was amazing! No wonder the Skrulls have such a fine army, they have someone like you to lead it!" I hope I was convincing to those around us.

" Pleased to hear that you think highly of my work. How about we all have supper before departing to Majesdane?"

Ewe led everyone into to the dining hall. Everyone had trouble believing that I didn't eat meat.

" But eating the meat of lesser animals is what makes us strong, isn't that right father? Its what separates us from _them._" One of the children said.

" You cannot change what she believes. I don't think you even know who _them_ are, Menos." Xavin interjected.

" You have no right to say anything to me, 'my liege.'" Menos replied mockingly. I could see that it took every bit of patience Xavin had to stop 'himself' from attacking the boy.

" Menos, do you know what will happen to you if you refuse to show any respect to your elders?" Ewe asked. The boy didn't answer, but nodded his head.

Xavin asked the cook to make something without meat. Within a few minutes the cook reemerged with something blue. "I apologize Karolina, I should have anticipated something like this." Xavin seemed totally different when his family was near him. With them around, he seemed weaker. It was strange to think that the same person would have no trouble melting guns in the hands of security guards.

" Its all right. Don't worry about it too much," I answered and began to eat whatever was on the plate. It didn't have a definite taste, but I finished it anyway.

" I have arranged clothes for you in your room. You will blend in more in Majesdane with them on. I'll be waiting for you in the common room when you finish," Xavin said.

" Oh, sure," I replied. I excused myself from the table and went to the room Xavin said was reserved for me. Placed on the bed was a black space suit that looked like the one my parents used to own. My hands shook as I held it. I missed my parents almost as much as I missed my friends. Right there in the dimly lit room I began to cry. I couldn't hold back the sobs that escaped me._ Pull yourself together, dammit. Now isn't the time to get emotional…_

I wiped the tears away and put on the space suit. I couldn't muster the courage to look at myself in the mirror. I folded my jeans and t-shirt and left it on the bed. _Here's to a new beginning, Karolina_. I walked out of the room and saw Xavin in her female form.

" You stun, Karolina. I am truly a lucky one. The ship is waiting for us. Majesdane awaits."


	3. Chapter 3

Untitled Runaways Project Chapter 3 (I don't own _Runaways_, yadda, yadda, yadda, BKV and Alphona created it and Marvel owns it. Don't sue, I'm poor)

Xavin put her arm around my shoulders and said, "That suit fits you perfectly. I never thought highly of the clothing on earth. The fabric never seemed strong enough."

"Is it all right if I take off this mask? I'm feeling a little uncomfortable with it on…" How I might look with this suit on reminded me too much of my parents.

"Sure, but I think that it is customary for your people to have that mask on for business occasions."

We walked back to where Xavin's tiny ship was, but instead of the small vehicle we arrived in, there was an enormous vessel in its place. Xavin told me that she decided to name it _Ison_. Other Skrulls were already boarding the ship. I couldn't help put gaze at the beauty of it. It made the Leapfrog look like a small insect.

"While this ship is my pride and joy, it would be best if we gawked at it once we reached Majesdane." Xavin grinned at me and we both entered the ship. Inside the Skrulls that entered before us bowed down to Xavin and murmured something in another language. She answered back in what I thought was the same language. The other Skrulls then dispersed and went to other parts of the ship.

"Obviously that was the crew if the _Ison_. These people are the most loyal of all my subjects. I only wish I could say the same for my uncle…" She seemed disturbed at the thought of him. She took a seat near the front of the ship and began to rub her temples.

"I don't think that your uncle thinks lowly of you. He probably shows his concern towards you in a different way." I didn't dare tell her about Ewe's death threat.

"Please, all that man cares about is the family name and how I am ruining it. He loves fighting. Not continuing the conquest of Majesdane was like a slap in the face to him. The fact that I am the heir does not help matters. I cannot help but think that I live in a nest of deadly animals. Ever since the death of my parents, I have been having this feeling that he is out to kill me…."

_He isn't going to kill **you**, genius._

"With me near, I don't think he'll try anything against you. We have Majesdane on our side, right?" I squeezed her shoulder and she looked up at me and smiled weakly.

"I certainly hope so." With that answer, she transformed to her male Skrull form and began issuing orders to the rest of the crew. I took a seat next to him.

"How long will it take for us to reach Majesdane?" I mustered the courage to put on the mask. I felt the ship lift off the ground and pretty soon the windows displayed nothing but space.

"Not long. We purposely situated that station near Majesdane. At most, fifteen minutes," he answered. The screen on our left went to life and Xavin's uncle appeared on it.

"Xavin, are you prepared to speak to your people?" he asked.

"Yes uncle, I am ready," Xavin answered. He stood up and moved closer to the rear of the ship. A larger monitor descended in front of him. On it, the faces of many other Skrulls appeared.

**Greetings to all members of the glorious Skrull Empire. As I speak, we are on the way to our soon-to-be allies' home world of Majesdane. **It** is imperative that we show no weaknesses in our stay. We are here to show them that we are a strong and intelligent race. We are here to demonstrate that the promotion of peace is not a flaw in our being, but crucial to the survival of both our worlds. I am sure that each and every one of you will learn to see this as a fact. I also know that none of you will fail to show the beauty and strength of our people to the inhabitants of Majesdane**.

With the end of Xavin's speech there was much applaud in his ship and in the monitors around the ship. The other Skrulls in the larger monitor saluted him. After a short while the monitor went dark and ascended to where it came from. Xavin took his seat next to me and smiled.

"I think that went well, don't you agree?" he asked.

"I guess it did. The other Skrulls seemed to like it. Unfortunately, I didn't understand a word you said," I answered. It was all gibberish to me. I figured that he spoke to the Skrulls in their native language.

"…I forgot to give you a translator. How foolish of me." He took a box out from under his seat and sifted through the contents until he took out a clear plastic sheet the size of my index finger. "Come here to me, I just need to place this behind your ear."

I took off my mask and moved my head closer to his hand. Xavin put the thin plastic sheet behind my right ear. It stung a little, but it quickly went away. **Can you understand me?**

"Yes, I can," I answered. The technology seemed pretty amazing. I touched the back of my ear, and it seemed like nothing was there.

"Skrull spies across the quadrant use that to help with languages in reconnaissance missions. It's undetectable and extremely convenient. Pretty soon you might be able to speak any language fluently," he said.

"That's awesome. If I only had this in my foreign language class…"

I put the mask back on and listened to the chatter going on. Much of the crew only spoke of the status of the ship and what they had for breakfast that morning. After a short while one of the crewmembers spoke up to Xavin.

**Young master, one of our battleships that left ahead of us is sending a distress signal. I'm putting it though.**

TO ANYONE WHO RECIEVES THIS MESSAGE. WE ARE TAKING FIRE FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. MAJESDANE LIGHT BRIGADE IS SENDING SUPPORT. MORE AID IS NEEDED.

"I can't believe this. Everything was going smoothly…" Xavin muttered. All right, have the other ships received this signal? If so, tell my uncle to go directly to the Majesdane capital. I'll take the _Ison_ and several other of the battle ships and try to see what is going on…

Xavin's uncle appeared on one of the monitors. "Xavin, I cannot allow that. I'll go to the attacked ship myself. **You** are the one that needs to visit with the Majesdane parliament and prime minister. Without you, the situation with Majesdane is lost. My wife and I will take our ships and investigate the attack. We will brief you once we are finished."

It was obvious that Xavin was taken aback by his uncle's suggestion. "If you insist, uncle…"

The pilots of the _Ison_ looked at Xavin and he simply nodded his head. Majesdane was in full view of the windows of the _Ison_.

As we landed closer to the planet, the ship began to get hot. As I looked around, the Skrulls were all sweating and cursing the heat under their breath. The heat didn't bother me as much as it did them. I gripped the armrests of my seat tightly as we finally landed on the landing field. I looked out the window and I saw that the sky was a brilliant mixture of colors.

"This looks so great…it's like being inside thousands of stars…" I muttered. I felt Xavin's hand on my back.

"Let's be amazed together Karolina. This is my first visit here without having to worry of being killed," he said. My heart sank when I heard him say this.

"I am so sorry Xavin…" I turned around wrapped my arms around him in a hug. "I'm so, so sorry…"

"There is nothing to apologize for, Karolina." He said. He looked at me and smiled. "Let's go. I'm sure my crew can look after the ship without too much trouble." He took my arm and led us out of the ship. Three of the crewmembers followed us. They stayed a few steps behind us as we walked. Near the _Ison_ other Skrull ships were in the process of landing.

We were greeted by Majasdanian guards. They wore suits similar to mine, but they were dark green in color and none of them wore masks. Instead, they wore helmets with the same burning scales design in the walls of Xavin's outpost. One of the guards walked up to us and saluted Xavin. Xavin bowed back to him.

"On behalf of the Majesdane Parliament and the Prime Minister, I welcome you. Please follow me." We moved up a flight of stairs. Behind us, other guards were also leading the Skrulls from the other ships in our direction. The building we were being led to was several stories high. The windows were arrow shaped and several flags with the burning scale design were flying from them. The building itself was a haze of gray and black. It was strange because there was a huge contrast with it and they sky. When we finally reached the top Xavin gripped my hand so tightly that I lost feeling in it.

"We'll be fine," I whispered to him. He seemed to relax a little, but his grip was still pretty strong.

" To the heir of the Empire, the daughter of the Exiles, and their respective guards: you all must surrender any weapons at this point," the guard declare. Xavin raised his hands to show that he was unarmed. I did the same. The crewmen behind us removed the guns from their holsters and surrendered them to the guards. We were then lead inside the building. We entered an elevator with the guards and after a short while we were inside a large room with a circular table on it. Sitting on the table were ten masked people. Xavin's uncle and his wife were sitting by them as well.

" Presenting to your excellency, the heir to the Empire and his bride-to-be…" The guard then bowed and moved back towards the elevator.

Xavin bowed to the crowd and finally say Ewe and his wife. Ewe winked at Xavin and Xavin replied with a confused look on his face. One of the masked figures stood up and floated towards the both of us. He was quite tall and the fact that he drifted to us instead of walking made him seem even grander. He removed his mask. As he did this, there were a few muffled gasps in the crowd. He had a dark, thick scar that ran across his forehead. He seemed to be in his mid forties. He smiled warmly at both of us. His face glowed a mixture of blue and green.

"If we are meeting as equal individuals, I don't feel a need to have to hide my face to my guests. I am the prime minister, Hyle Etia." His feet reached the ground and he shook Xavin's hand. The other people sitting at the table removed their masks and nodded their heads to us. I removed my mask and bowed back to him.

"You've grown to look a lot like your parents, Ms. Dean," Etia said. That comment took me by surprise. "You knew my parents, sir?" I stood up and looked at him.

"Yes, I did know them, but we are not hear to talk about them, we are here to discuss the union of the Skrull Empire and Majesdane." He gestured his hand to follow him and he sat down at the table. Xavin sat next to him, while I sat between Xavin and Ewe.

"But what happened just now, with one of my battleships being attacked. What was that all about?" Xavin asked.

It looked like Ewe was going to answer, but before he could say anything, Etia answered instead. "There are some factions on Majesdane that don't agree with the truce between our peoples. The majority of them have been dealt with." He answered quickly.

"From what General Fareek has told me, you were able to convince Ms. Dean to come with you here. Exactly how much does she know?" Etia asked.

"She knows that her parents were behind the deal that led my father to Majesdane. Other than that, I don't think her parents told her much about their past. She is here because she genuinely wants the war to end." Xavin answered. He looked gratefully towards my direction.

"I want to make up for all the mistakes my parents made. I want to prove…that I am not like them…" I said. I really wanted to make up for their crimes. I wanted to know that I am a good person. I needed some sort of conformation…I needed to know if I really am a good person.

Hyle Etia and the rest of the parliament members simply stared at me. The prime minister broke the silence by clearing his throat and said, " You simply coming here shows us that you are not like them. You may resemble them, but your demeanor shows us other wise."

" But Young Master, do tell us how you were able to convince her to be with you. I am sure it took more than your story to make her come here," a female voice said. I looked to where it came from. It was Ewe Fareek's wife. Up to that point, I didn't know her name. The other Parliament members nodded in agreement. Words like 'do tell,' and 'tell us' could be heard. Good gracious I didn't even know her and I already hated her.

" I don't think that is important right now, Miseo. What we need to focus on is how we are going to make this union work in the long run. We also have to find a way to weed out all the factions and groups against us," Xavin answered. Miseo smiled smugly at the answer and nodded.

" I have prepared a speech for Ms. Dean," one of the parliament members said. " I think that it will bring people who aren't quite clear on what to think on to our side. If a person from the Majesdane race sees someone who isn't a part of the government or the upper class of the Skrull Empire as the bride, I think, the average person just may think that this route is the way to go."

"I'm sure that it will take –" before Etia could finish his sentence a loud explosion went through the room. I was separated from Xavin and thrown across the room. Large pieces of the table were jabbed into my left leg and I could hear nothing except for a loud ringing in my ears. Next to me the Prime Minister was lying face down. I tried my best to move toward him and turned him over. His eyes were open and from what I could tell he was still breathing. He looked at me in horror but didn't do anything. His lips were moving, but I couldn't hear him.

Looking around, the room was in complete disarray. Parts of the ceiling were collapsed. I could see the next floor from where I was situated. Someone grabbed me from behind. I turned and I saw Xavin. His left arm hung limp and a side of his face was bleeding. He was telling me something, but the ringing in my ears wouldn't go away. I began to panic and started to sob.

"Xavin, I, I can't hear you, b-but we have to help the prime minister. He's still alive but he c-can't move…a-at least I don't think he can!" He looked over behind me and nodded his head "yes." He helped me stand up and I saw his right arm stretch. He wrapped his arm around Etia's body several times. With some effort he was able to lift him up and place him over his shoulder. Xavin looked toward me and mouthed 'Can you fly?'

I forced my feet to lift the ground and I grabbed Xavin's arm and lifted both of them.

_I have to show everyone I am a good person._

I flew as fast as I could out of the room, but since they were heavy 'as fast as I could' wasn't very fast.

_Now is not the time to second-guess myself. _

I finally placed the pair of them on the entrance stairs and collapsed next to them in exhaustion.

_I saved them…_

The ringing in my ears began to go away and I could hear the Etia's voice repeating the words 'I can't move' over and over again. The guards surrounded us, and I could see other guards flying out of the room with the other parliament members. I saw a guard pick up the prime minister carted him off to an ambulance. I was so tired. I began to close my eyes. Before I fell asleep, I could feel myself being placed on a stretcher.

_I am a good person_.


	4. Chapter 4

Untitled Runaways Project Chapter 4 (I don't own, nor did I create _Runaways_, the Skrulls, or any of the comic book-y pop culture items expressed in this fic. BKV and Alphona created _Runaways_, which is owned by Marvel. This chapter's a doozie, kids. Cancel all appointments and leave your day open. My longest yet.)

I woke up to find myself in a hospital bed. Instead of the black spacesuit I was wearing a white shirt and pants. To my surprise I was also wearing a bracelet similar to the medalert bracelet I used to wear on Earth. I tried to take it off, but it wouldn't break no matter how hard I pulled at it. A nurse entered my room carrying a tray of food. Like the rest of the room, she was dressed in white. Her face and hands emitted a soft yellow and orange glow.

"You know, that bracelet is for your own good. Without it, your body would simply waste energy, thus making your wounds heal slower or improperly," she said. She placed the tray at the bedside table and took out a small cube. It was similar to Xavin's travel log. It lit up and floated in front of me.

" It seems that you're almost completely healed. For the next few days, it will be a little difficult to walk on that leg, but the doctors are expecting full recovery." She took the floating cube away from me and put it in her pocket. "You know Ms Dean, you and that Skrull are considered heroes. A few days ago, a photograph of you flying the skrull and Prime Minister Etia out of the wreckage was all over the news. Of course, people are still talking about it. It's good to know that you're recovery is going well."

" I was out for more than a day? My head still hurts a bit, so I thought…" I looked over to my leg and I saw that it was still heavily bandaged. " Is everyone all right?"

" The skrull heir and his cohorts are next door. He is quite worried about you. His injuries are also healing well…I'll leave you to your breakfast. You need to regain your strength, so eat. If you need something, there's a switch on your bracelet. Just press it and we'll come." With that, she smiled faintly and left the room.

With little effort I was able to sit up and eat. I couldn't exactly tell what I was eating, but it didn't matter because I felt extremely hungry. I think it was a vegetable pie of some sort. I placed the tray back to the bedside table and tried my luck with standing. My left leg stung when I stood on it so I shifted most of my weight on my other leg and moved over to the window. The view was amazing. The sky was still a brilliant mix of colors. The surrounding buildings around the hospital were streamlined and floating from the ground. People were flying around by themselves while others were on what I assumed were mass transit vehicles.

" You look so _human_ with that metal band on," a voice said behind me. I turned around and saw Xavin in her human female form.

" Look who's talking, 'young master!'" I replied. She smiled and walked over to the window.

" I thought we were going to enjoy this view together with no problems…now it seems that simply existing until the following day is a chore…" She said sadly.

" Don't worry about it too much. After all, we're both still breathing and all our limbs are naturally attached to our bodies," I said. I squeezed her shoulder gently and she stared at me.

"I didn't mean to offend you by calling you human…" She was muttering now. I was barely able to hear her. What was the heck was going on here? Why was she suddenly being so apologetic and depressing…?

"Hey, there's no need to say sorry! There was a time where all I wanted to do was be human. I wanted desperately to be like everyone else. I wanted it so badly, but when I couldn't be 'normal'…no matter what I did…I tried to kill myself…" Xavin let out a small gasp when she heard this.

" Karolina to me, being human is overrated. That is why I apologized…but if it is something you valued…but **why**? You are gorgeous. If times were better I think suitors would be lining up at your doorstep to ask for your hand. What was the problem?" she asked.

I sat by the windowsill and told her about Topher and my falling out with Nico. She stood silently over me the whole time I told her the story I would prefer to forget.

" Geez, compared to you, my life must seem like a waste or something… worrying about stupid things…trifles… " Great, now I was feeling pathetic. This cycle of anxieties has to stop before it ends miserably or something…

" No not at all, Karolina. Don't say anything like that…" She then leaned over and kissed me. _Holy crap!_ For a few moments I was so stunned that I couldn't move. She broke away and looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face. "Am I doing something wrong…?"

"Oh, uh, no you aren't doing anything wrong. I was just surprised…" She seemed a bit sad at my comment, so I pulled her closer to me and I kissed her. My leg began to sting again. I ignored it at first, but the pain worsened. I broke the kiss and felt around the bandages in my leg. The bandages singed the tips of my fingers when I touched them.

" Xavin, I'm burning…" The pain felt worse. It felt as if the leg wanted to separate itself from the rest of my body.

" Well, it is a little warm in here," she said. I looked at her irritably. " No…my injury…I think its getting worse."

" I will find someone," she said. She stood up and began transforming into a skrull, but I grabbed her arm. "Please…just don't go yet," I pleaded to her. I didn't feel like being alone. I pressed the small button on the bracelet and Xavin helped me move toward the bed. We sat next to each other on the edge of the bed.

" I apologize for not being able to do anything about this," she said. I put my arms around her and said, " Being here with me is good enough. Let's agree to hate ourselves less, all right?" She held my hand and nodded.

The nurse and a tall man behind her entered the room. The only reason the man seemed taller than her was simply because he floated into the room. His head and hands glowed a blazing red and orange.

" Nurse, please tell the Skrull to leave the room. Even 'her' extremely attractive form cannot persuade me to allow 'her' to stay," he said. He sure was a cocky person. I could literally hear and feel the ego coming out of his words. The nurse looked over at Xavin and she nodded.

" I'll see you later, Karolina," Xavin said. She stood up and left. The man didn't say a word until the _click_ of the door proved that Xavin was out of the room.

"So Ms. Dean, I take it you're feeling a slight burning sensation in your injury?" the man asked.

" Yes, but it now feels as if it was to leave my body or something…how did you know?" I asked. He chucked smugly and said: " I see the nurse here hasn't told _you_ about _me_. I am the _best_ healer on Majesdane. Appointed by Hyle Etia _himself_ to take care of the personal needs of his attendants and anyone else _he_ thinks needs aid. Zerion Niall at your service _for now_."

After his overdramatic entrance speech beams of light left his hands and wrapped around me. "Just relax Ms. Dean. This won't hurt at all," he said.

He concentrated the light beams to my injury. He lazily flicked his wrist backwards and the light around my leg disappeared. The bandages were also gone. As much as I would like to say otherwise, the process was painless.

" See, it's all gone now. You can start worshipping me, now. It turns out that you were already fully healed. The bandages gave you a little too much solar energy, which made you feel that stinging sensation. You won't be needing _that _anymore either," he pointed at the bracelet. The looked over at the nurse and she took it off from my wrist. I felt sorry for her. I wondered how she could deal with someone like that all day.

" Ah, you have a nice, healthy glow. I never liked those damn armlets. Like I say, if you've got it, flaunt it. Look at me for instance; walking is overrated." he said. He then left the room. The nursed looked over to me and whispered, "He's just like that." She walked quickly and chased after him.

I stood up and practiced walking around the room. I felt fine and decided to look for Xavin. When I left the room, there was a pair of guards in front of each room. There was a Majesdane guard by my door. I asked him he knew the location of Xavin's room. He pointed at the room on my right and then tipped his helmet in my direction. I thanked him and walked over to the room. The two skrull guards stared at me. One of them had a crooked smile.

" The young master is not here at the moment," the one with the smile said.

" Well, where is –" but before I could continue the sentence the Skrull lifted his finger and said, " Look harder." I glared at him, a little annoyed, and started to turn to go back to my room, but before I took a step someone grabbed me from behind. A hand covered my eyes and I felt an arm clutching my side.

" I was behind you the whole time, Karolina," a voice said. I immediately knew it was Xavin. " I'll always be behind you."

" Geez, you scared me," I said. I turned around and she became visible.

" That wasn't my intention, but its good to see that you're all right. The prime minister wants to hold a meeting to speak of the attacks," she said. We were walking down the hospital halls. For a hospital, there was very little going on. There were nurses and doctors moving from room to room, but everything was calm. It was nothing like _ER_ or any of the other medical dramas on TV.

" What does he have to say about them?" I asked.

" I am not so sure. All I know is that the people behind the attacks are from a small faction here on Majesdane. It is a good thing that no one put the blame on my people," Xavin let out a small sigh and squeezed my hand. "We will have to stop at my uncle's room at get ready first. These hospital clothes are not proper." Xavin transformed to her male skrull form. Each time I see her transform I feel a little guilty. Does she really enjoy being a female or is it only because of me?

We turned at the end of the hall. I could hear yelling from one of the rooms. Without a doubt, it was Ewe. A Skrull guard bowed to Xavin and opened the door. If conditions were different, the scene would have been funny. Zerion Niall had Ewe restrained with the help of the nurse. Bright beams of light circled around Ewe, who was suspended upside down in midair. He was in his underwear. There were layers of bandages across his chest. It was clear that they needed to be changed.

"Don't you dare try to touch me you runt! Don't act high and mighty simply because you were chosen! I'll kill you if you touch me!" Ewe yelled.

" Look here ya freak, or whatever your name is. Lunging at me isn't helping the situation. Cooperate and I'll be gone soon enough," Zerion said. The pride in his voice was now gone. He and the nurse placed Ewe back in the bed and changed his bandages.

"Good thing you're here Xavin. This blasted doctor is a nuisance. Were you not able to find a Skrull medic for me?" At that moment Ewe winced when Zerion removed the last bandage with a little less care.

" Sorry Uncle, but I am here to get our extra uniforms. I take it Mineo has already left to be your proxy?" Xavin walked to the end of the room where there was a row of lockers. He took out two suits and gave one to me.

" That blasted woman is lucky. If she sat in my seat and I sat in hers, she would be the one being prodded by…_him_." Ewe's injuries looked extremely painful. Without the bandages I could see he had several deep gashes across his chest and torso. The skin around the cuts looked burnt and was flaking off. It was amazing that he seemed unbothered by it.

" All right, let's go Karolina. Uncle needs to rest," Xavin said smugly. He put his arm around me and led me out of the room. "There is nothing he hates more than feeling inadequate. Hah, I love it," Xavin whispered.

The prime minister's room was on the other side of the floor. We went back to my hospital room to change into our suits.

" You first, love. I'll wait here," Xavin said. He two a few steps back and had a small grin on his face. I smiled back and shut the door behind me. While dressing I thought of confronting Xavin about the gender issue. If having to change into a female will ruin the image I guess I could deal with it…

I finished putting on the black space suit and moved over to the door. I optioned not to open it just yet. " Um, Xavin is it okay if I talk to you for a little. In here, actually," I said.

" Of course, but I am not able to enter your room if the door is shut," he said. Feeling a bit dorky I let him in.

" I don't know what you feel about the gender thing, but if having to change yourself for **me** is a hassle…" I trailed off a little and he walked over to me. He transformed and said, " There is nothing I wouldn't do for you, Karolina. I love you and my façade as a male is just for my people. As much as I hate to acknowledge this, my uncle was right...for once."

She held me in an embrace and I kissed her. I felt that she wasn't expecting it, but it didn't matter. After a few moments we separated and I said, "I love you too." She chuckled and our foreheads met.

"As much as I would love for us to stay like this forever, we have a certain leader to meet with," she said. I nodded and left the room. The Majesdane guard by the door smiled and winked at me. I felt myself blush and started hoping that Xavin would quickly finish. After a while she finally emerged in the typical purple and black skrull uniform. She extended her arm to me and led us to where we needed to go. As we walked she changed into her male form and squeezed my arm gently.

" Won't be long now," he said. At the end of the hall there was a heavily guarded elevator. There were Skrull and Majesdane soldiers conversing with each other. Each guard was wielding a weapon of some sort but surprisingly it seemed they were sharing jokes. A Skrull guard noticed Xavin and commanded the other Skrulls to form ranks. Each bowed at our presence. A guard from each side led us into the room. In it there were seven masked people and Mineo. All of them were sitting silently. Geez, the silence made it seem as if they were all waiting for the end of the world.

A guard in the room led us to our their seats. A hoarse voice began to speak.

" Now that everyone is here I would like to begin by thanking Ms. Dean and the Skrull Prince for saving me," Etia said. He raised his hand and the other masked nodded silently in my direction. " I am still paralyzed from below the waist but Healer Niall expects that the effects of the attack will wear off within a few days."

He was breathing heavily now. After a few moments he regained his composure. " Two of the nine parliament members are still in critical condition. They have not improved since they were brought here. In the unfortunate event that they do not improve within the next week, they will have to be replaced…don't look so down folks, I'm almost done with the bad news."

" I have also decided to except Prince Xavin and General Fareek's proposal for the wedding ceremony. It will be in Tarnax VII after we have apprehended the remnants of the fanatic group responsible for the attacks on the Skrull battleship and the Center building. Does… anyone… have anything else to add?" he asked. He was rubbing his arms now. His was wearing his mask, but it wasn't hard to see that he was in pain.

" Mineo and I will lend our resources to the Majesdane government in finding this group. I am sure that with our combined efforts, we will find them and bring them to justice," Xavin said. Mineo nodded as well. "With our army and your government's intelligence there is no doubt they'll be routed," she added. I noticed that her right arm was trembling. It was clear that she was trying to hide it.

Etia ended the meeting and everyone began to leave the room. Zerion accompanied by a group of nurses helped the parliament members leave the room. Light filled the room as they surrounded the government members with their power. They were carried out and Xavin and I were left alone with Mineo.

" Are you going to keep that injury to yourself, Mineo?" Xavin asked.

" Nothing gets past my liege…the healers have their hands full dealing with my husband and the parliament members. I can handle this." Mineo stood up and walked to where Xavin was sitting. She whispered something into his ear and he smiled and said, "I was expecting it. I hold nothing against you." She patted him on the back and left the room.

" What was that about?" I asked.

" In the meeting a few days ago she purposely tried to embarrass us by asking about how I was able to convince you in coming with me. She claims that it was her way of testing me under pressure. Of course she was trying to ruin me…they all are…" He banged his fists on the table.

" Hey, let's just get out of here, okay?" I grabbed his arm and led him out of the room. The guards saluted us as we left.

" Look, dwelling on this isn't going to solve anything…I guess the best we can do is stay alert," I said.

" I know, but sometimes…lets just visit my uncle and see what he thinks about this group of fanatics…" Xavin let out a sigh and let go of my arm. " Actually, is it all right if speak with him alone?" he asked.

"Oh, sure," I answered, "I'll just wait in my room." We parted ways and I headed towards my room. The guard standing by the door looked a little nervous. "Is there a problem?"

" Well, Zerion Niall is in there and he is looking strange. I told him that he isn't allowed to go inside, but he forced himself in. I couldn't attack him because he is appointed by our leader. I could lose my job for that sort of thing!"

_Yeah, you could also lose your job for not doing it._

" Why did he want to go there in the first place?"

" He said that he wishes to speak to you…he didn't say about what, though."

"All right then. Let's go in and see what he wants." The guard stiffened a little and said, " _Let's_, miss?"

"Well, yeah, you were the one that let him in. I guess its safe to say that you should also see him out." We entered the room together. Zerion was standing several yards away from us. Instead of seeing his blazing red and orange light, he emitted various shades of blue and green. His arms were folded and he leaned against the wall.

" Did you need something Zerion?" I asked. I was a little nervous because he seemed entirely different from the other times I've seen him.

" You're not with the Skrull heir. Strange, where is that gender bender?" He was pacing back and fourth across the room. He kept his eyes on the guard behind me.

" _Xavin_ is speaking with General Ewe. He'll come back when he's done," I said. He stopped pacing when I said "General Ewe" and looked at me.

" Ms. Dean, I want you to know that everything I have done was for the sake of Majesdane. Healing you, taking care of the Skrulls, healing injuries of hundreds of strangers…it is all for my home. You, you've only been here for a few days. What do you know about our planet and our culture? Wearing our uniforms, pretending to be like us... I want to let you know that everything I do is for the sake of Majesdane. I'm sure you'll forgive me." He took out a pistol from his jacket. Before I could react the guard pushed me aside and tackled Zerion down.

" Have you lost your mind?" the guard yelled. They wrestled on the floor. The guard was able to get the pistol out of his hands. I grabbed it and yelled for help. I looked into the hall and saw Xavin with three skrull guards heading in my direction.

" What's the problem?" Xavin asked.

" I think Zerion tried to kill me," I answered. They entered the room and saw that the guard was able to subdue Zerion. He was no longer glowing. On his wrists there was a pair of metal handcuffs. With the cuffs on, he had pale skin and brown hair. There were bags under his eyes and he looked around the room with a complacent look on his face.

" Heh, just the 'man' I wanted to see," said Zerion. Xavin stepped past the Majesdane guard and grabbed Zerion by the collar of his shirt. " You will not address me unless I allow you to, scum"

" I liked you better when you were a girl," said Zerion. The Skrull guards gasped and the Majesdane guard took a step back. Flames grew around Xavin's arms and hands. " Say that again, vermin. I liked the way it sounded," Xavin said sharply. Zerion's coat caught fire and he began to cry.

"P-please, I'm gonna burn!" pleaded Zerion.

" That won't work. You tried to kill the only thing worth anything and now, yes, you will burn."

**Young master, maybe we should spare him, for now. He may know the whereabouts of that group of lunatics**, one of the Skrull guards said.

Xavin looked back and nodded. The flames disappeared and Zerion fell to his knees whimpering. " You're nothing but a crazy cut-throat like your father. You won't change anything!" Zerion said in a hoarse voice.

Xavin turned to him. I could see his arms getting bigger. Stones grew from the surface of his arms and he smacked Zerion across the room. Zerion was knocked out. More guards entered the room and carried Zerion away.

Xavin and I were left in the room. "Xavin, I –"

" Karolina, please, don't say anything for now. I just need some quiet…"

He sat down on the floor and I sat down next to him. I wrapped my arms around him and he squeezed my hand.

"Okay."


	5. Chapter 5

Untitled Runaways Project chapter 5 (_Runaways_ created by Brian Vaughan and Adrian Alphona. Owned by Marvel)

After the guards carried Zerion away, another group entered the room and asked us about what had happened. There were nine of them. Instead of the dark green outfits the other guards wore, they wore brown suits. Unlike the other guards, their faces were masked. They asked us about what happened with Zerion and I told them all I knew.

" Are your injuries healed?" one of them asked.

" I think they are. I mean, I'm not in pain or anything like that," I answered.

" I recommend that you check out of the hospital as soon as possible. Zerion Niall is not a fighter, but if someone more…zealous tries to take your life, other people may get caught in the crossfire," another one said. This was a woman's voice.

" It is not our fault that security is lax here! If it were not for that idiot security officer, Niall would never have entered the room!" Xavin exclaimed.

" It was a good thing 'that idiot' let Niall into the room. If what just happed took place in the hallway, innocents could have been involved," the woman answered. " We have provided accommodations for the both of you and the rest of the visiting Skrulls," she added.

" I take it that our housing is in a safe location?" Xavin asked.

" Of course. Three lesser members of the Light Brigade are here to escort and watch over you two until the investigation is complete. They are at your disposal. Both our worlds would not want the bloody war to happen again," a deep voice said. With that, six of them left. The remaining three took off their masks and bowed to us.

The three of them looked exactly alike. I figured that they all wore their power limiters because none of them emitted light. What freaked me out was that they looked like older versions of the children from _Village of the Damned_. I couldn't help but think of brick walls. I moved closer to Xavin and he took my hand.

" Greetings young masters. We have been sent to protect you two from any potential threats on Majesdane. It would be beneficial if we check out now," one of them said. They looked to be in their early twenties. It was strange that everything about them seemed pale when compared to the bright colors and lights I've seen so far. Xavin looked at them calmly and said, " I always thought the Light Brigade was too prestigious to deal with simple tasks of 'body guarding'" he said.

They looked at him and smiled, _at the same time_. " Well, that is why we are 'lesser' members and not 'superior'. Follow us, please. We'll lead you out," one of them answered. The gestured for us to follow them.

" Hey, can we get your names at least?" I asked. I didn't like the feeling of following a bunch of pale weirdoes without knowing their names. They told us that since they were lower ranking members, they were forbidden to reveal their names to anyone outside of the brigade. Xavin looked irritated at this idea, so I decided to name them myself. The center person was Steve, to his left was Joe, and to his right was Paul. I thought they were easy names to remember. They seemed fine with their aliases.

After the short "christening" they led us to an elevator at the end of the hall. When we entered there were three nurses and a Skrull. The nurses nodded toward Steve and left the elevator. The Skrull bowed down to Xavin with a frantic look on his face.

**I am sorry I have failed you**, the Skrull said. **I tried to arrive after the first attack, but I was not allowed to enter Majesdane for a while. I heard the nurses speaking about a crazy doctor. If only I were here, I could have…I would have killed him for you.**

Xavin commanded the Skrull to stand up. He then reassured the Skrull and told him not to be troubled. The Skrull relaxed a little, but seemed revolted at the three Majesdane soldiers.

" Oh Karolina, this is one of my main bodyguards, Z'ryk. He is supposed to be on a short break, but I see that he couldn't bear to be away from me!" Xavin said in a teasing manner. That must have been the first time I heard him say something close to a joke.

I felt the elevator descend and Joe walked over to my side. " You know, your parents have almost reached a legendary status for what they have done. For the good and the bad," he said.

I didn't know what to think of this. I thought I knew my parents before the whole disaster but it turns out I hardly knew them at all. Since the incident with the Gibborim there were times where I actually thought that life was better with them around. I didn't have to worry about anything. I just want to go back to that sometimes. The biggest thing I had to worry about then was keeping up with schoolwork. For crying out loud, school is nothing compared to wars between planets. I miss those days so much. At that moment I wished that I could just go back home and be with my friends.

" I'm sorry, I wish I could say something noteworthy but I don't have an opinion on that. I hardly knew my parents. Much less on whatever they did here," I instinctively held the wrist where the bracelet used to be. " If anything, you probably know more about them than I do!" I added. I tried to force a laugh, but it sounded fake.

**I can see right through that laugh, girl**, Z'ryk said. Xavin whispered something to him and he nodded. I simply looked at him and back at Joe.

_There goes my acting career_.

" You actually understand the Skrull?" Joe asked.

" Well yeah, Xavin…found a tutor," I answered. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Xavin shifted his weight slightly when the question was asked.

" My compatriots and I can only understand pronouns and swears. Good for you," he said.

We finally reached the ground level. Unlike the floor we were originally in, this place was packed. Movement was everywhere. Uniformed doctors and nurses all over were dealing with something. Once someone entered the hospital, there seemed to be a hospital worker ready to greet that person. It seemed very efficient.

When we reached a receptionist, she was already prepared for us. She gave Xavin and I a few things to sign and in a few minutes we were out of the hospital. Steve, Paul, and Joe led us to what seemed like a parking lot. The "cars" weren't exactly "parked." Each automobile in the area was suspended in midair. I couldn't see any chains or rope holding the vehicles up. Looking up, there were rows and rows of cars just hanging there.

" All right then, let's go. Our vehicle is on the highest tier so, we'll have to fly up there," Paul said. The three of them took off their power limiters and emitted a strange light. Unlike the others I've seen, it was as if they were shadows instead of beings of light. Their glow was mostly black with the occasional red and purple. They began to fly upwards and I followed them.

" Uh, Karolina…I haven't mastered flight yet and Z'ryk isn't a Super Skrull…" Xavin said. He had a defeated look on his face.

" Don't worry about it Xavin," I said. I picked him up while Steve grabbed Z'ryk. We flew up several flights of cars until we reached the top. The automobiles on this level were pretty big. They looked a little more extravagant than the ones on the lower level. Steve whistled a short tune and one of the vehicles moved over to where we were. We all entered while Joe entered the driver's seat.

" There are a few things I need to pick up in the _Ison_," Xavin said.

" Understood. We'll go there first," Joe said. He started the automobile and we were off. The scenery around Majesdane was amazing. The view from my hospital room didn't do justice to it. It was the middle of the afternoon and they sky was giving off a brilliant mix of orange, yellow, and bright red.

From a distance, I was able to see rows of ships. When the view became clearer, Xavin asked Joe to land near the _Ison_.

" Your ship looks quite nice, but I don't think it can stand up to our world's technology," Steve said.

" Say what you will, after all, you are entitled to your opinion. What you think has no bearing in my thoughts," Xavin said. I didn't know if he was joking or not, but Steve let out a small laugh.

" Wasn't that a little mean?" I whispered to him. Ever since the second meeting with Hyle Etia, he seemed a little strange.

" I will explain later," he answered. We entered the _Ison_ together while Steve, Joe, Paul, and Z'ryk stayed outside. When the entrance to the _Ison_ closed behind us, Xavin let out a sigh and transformed into a female.

" Is there something wrong, Xavin?" I asked. She opened a door to her left and asked me to follow her. In the next room there were rows of lockers and trunks. Each of them was bolted to the floor of the ship. She knelt by one of them and opened it.

" I just wanted to give you this," she said. She took out a small box from the trunk and handed it to me. I opened it and inside was a silver and gold necklace.

" Thank you, it's beautiful. I…don't have anything to give to you…" I felt strange getting a gift without giving something back in return.

" It's all right, Karolina. I bought it with you in mind and I expect nothing," she said. She took the necklace from my hands and put it around my neck. I turned around and wrapped my arms around her.

" You scared me for a bit there, Xavin. I thought something bad happened or something," I said.

" I'm fine, Karolina. I intend on living a nice full life. What about you? That incident with Zerion… I'm sorry I wasn't there. If I only—"

" Look, even if you were with me, he probably would have done the same thing. I'm all right," I said. I leaned my head back and noticed that she was avoiding my gaze.

" There's something bothering you, isn't there?" She broke away from my arms and closed the trunk.

" I already told you that I'm fine. I think I just need some rest, all right?" she said with a slight tinge of irritation.

We left the room and at the corner of my eye, I saw that one of the computer monitors was flickering.

" Er, Xavin, is that supposed to be on?" I grabbed her arm and she looked over to the monitor.

" It is not supposed to be on unless there is an emergency…lets see…" She sat by the computer and an image appeared on the screen. It was one of Ewe's children.

_Hello Xavin_ (stop)_ I tried to contact my parents, but none of them have replied _(stop) _If you get this message please contact me _(stop) _I hate the new tutor_ (stop)

" So that little snot will only talk to me if he needs help…"she trained off and began to answer the message.

_I will see what I can do _(stop)

" Xavin, at least you still have people you can call family. You may not trust them, but at least they're still here. Everyone I've cared about isn't with me anymore…" Geez, I missed my friends like crazy. At that moment I would have given up everything to be back on earth. I was a little annoyed that Xavin didn't appreciate what she still had.

" I don't know what to say, Karolina, but my family…you don't know them the way I do. If it is any consolation, the solar flares around Majesdane will not be very active for the next few weeks. You can send transmissions to your friends now, if you want," she said. She stood up and gestured to me to sit. " I'll wait for you outside."

I sat and thought about what I would say to them.

_Hey guys its me _(stop) _I finally made it to Majesdane_ (stop) _Things aren't too hot here_ (stop) _I hope I can help make things better_ (stop) _All the best K _(stop)

I left the ship and saw that everyone was right by the entrance of the _Ison_. They greeted me and we all went over to the car. Xavin took my hand and helped me in. She whispered an apology into my ear. I gave her a small smile and we sat together. The car ride was uneventful, but after a short while the scenery around us began to change. The tall buildings grew into smaller and smaller ones until mountains surrounded us.

" How long until we actually need to get where we need to be? It's as if we're in the middle of nowhere," I said.

" When we said we were going to send our Skrull guests to a safe place, we meant it," Paul answered.

" Government officials are sent here in case of emergency, so it is doubtful that the radicals know of this place," Joe added.

We were surrounded by tall mountains, which all reflected the image of the vehicle we were in. Joe instructed us to close our eyes and hold onto the sides of our seats. I felt the car move very quickly, and even with my eyes shut, I could tell that a bright light of some sort surrounded us. The vehicle shook a little but it soon settled and the light faded away.

I opened my eyes and saw that we were inside a lot filled with vehicles similar to ours. Groups of Majesdane soldiers and Skrull soldiers stood sternly around the edges of the lot.

" Follow us. We'll lead you to where you need to be," said Steve.

" We need to be somewhere?" I asked. The three of them have been very vague about where we were going. Xavin also looked a little apprehensive. She also looked really tired for some reason.

" Well, with saving Hyle Etia and surviving an assassination attempt, the press are craving an interview with you. There's a pressroom not far from here where select members of the media are waiting to ask you questions, Ms. Dean. They are trusted members of the media, so there is no need for you to worry," he said.

Since when could the media be trusted? When my parents were still around, the paparazzi followed them everywhere. They would always try to find something negative to say about them. I always hated the whole "stars without make-up" articles crappy tabloids usually have. I mean, doesn't have anyone have anything better to do?

" Whatever you say, Steve," I said. They led us through a series of halls. There were skrulls lounging around the halls, and all of them bowed in Xavin's direction. She transformed into her male form and acknowledged their salutes. At the end of the third hall, we entered a room where there were about six or seven people sitting demurely on floating chairs.

" We three lesser members of the Light Brigade are here to introduce the Skrull heir and his bride-to-be," Steve, Paul, and Joe said in unison.

Joe led us to a pair of seats facing the group. Before we sat, Z'ryk urged Xavin to be on his guard. Xavin simply nodded lazily and sat next to me. He then cleared his throat and began to speak.

" I am here due to the fact that I want there to be peace between our worlds. Of course, the majority of the people on Majesdane want the same, but to the few of you who still are uneasy about the presence of my people, we are here to answer your questions," Xavin said. He didn't look as tired as before, but I could still see he was still trying to stay awake.

The reporters' questions were tame at first. Most of them had to do with Xavin's reaction to the attacks and his thoughts on Majesdane. They asked me about my parents, but since I knew close to nothing about them, I just said the best I could.

" I don't know much of what my parents did here, but on Earth they…did the best they could to raise me. They made some bad choices, but there wasn't anything I could do about that," I said.

The reporters looked unimpressed with my answer. I guess they were expecting something more dramatic. The truth is, I just didn't want to take to a bunch of strangers about the Gibborim and their plans to destroy earth. They didn't need to know that.

" All right then…this question is for the Skrull prince. It's clear that you look down on the attacks on the prime minister. Of course, the leaders of both our worlds were in danger. What do you have to say about the remains of the bombs?" a report asked.

" I am afraid I cannot comment on that. I know nothing of the attacks. It's news to me that the event was done by a bomb and not some sort of a projectile," he answered.

The reporter had a growing smug smile on his face. His fellows also looked as if they hit pay dirt.

" Didn't you know that bomb specialists on both sides have discovered that the bomb is of Skrull technology? Of course everything else is still under investigation, but it is what we have heard," the reporter said.

I couldn't believe my ears. I looked of at Xavin and he looked just as shocked. He looked over to Z'ryk and the three Light Brigade officers. They also had surprised looks on their faces.

" Well, I cannot comment on that either. I did not hear of this because I have just arrived from the hospital. There was no way I would have been able to hear of that sort of news. I will discuss this with the Skrull council as soon as possible…that's all I have to say about the matter…" Xavin then stood up and I followed him out.

" None of you knew this was going to happen? They nearly tore me apart. It was a good thing that there weren't any broadcasts…." Xavin then leaned against the wall and rubbed his temples.

" Look, I assure you that we didn't know of that either. That news shocked me as well…I'll have to contact my superiors for more information on this," Steve said He took out a small device from his side and a small hologram was projected on it. He spoke to it about the news on the Skrull bombs and the hologram disappeared.

" They'll contact us later," he said. Xavin looked angry and nervous at the same time.

I didn't know what to think of this. I found it hard to believe that Xavin had anything to do with the attacks. How were the reporters able to hear of this before we did? Xavin is royalty. For him to be kept in the dark about something like this is strange.

" I cannot wait…where are my council members located? I'll need to speak with them immediately about this."

" They higher council members are a few floors above us. I'm not sure if they know of this —"

" I don't care! If they don't know, then I will tell them. Just lead me to them!" Xavin commanded.

Steve, Paul, and Joe moved ahead of us and within a few minutes we were on the next floor.

" Z'ryk, Joe, will you two stay with Karolina? I'll have Steve, Paul and one of my crew members accompany me to meet with the council," Xavin said. He turned toward me and said, " Sorry Karolina, but I can't have you join me. I need to face them myself…"

With that he left us to speak with the other Skrulls. " He's in trouble…he just probably want you to see him in such a low moment," Joe said.

" Yeah, you're probably right," I said. I wanted to believe that, but Xavin has been acting weird. I ran my fingers through the necklace and looked up at Z'ryk and Joe. " So, what will we do while we wait?" I asked.

They looked at each other and then spoke at the same time. "Actually, I wouldn't mind eating something/ **Is it too much to ask for something decent to eat?**"

I let out a small laugh and agreed. I haven't eaten since the morning and it felt that it was almost nighttime (I couldn't really tell, but it felt that way). Joe said that we would be able to eat near the top end of the mountain. He grabbed Z'ryk by the pits and began to fly upward. I just noticed that the ceilings of each floor were very high up. About every eight feet there was a removable gate that would lead to the next floor. After moving several flights up, we were in a dining hall.

" Why didn't we just do this before?" I asked.

" My brothers and I noticed the Skrull heir looked somewhat dejected with you carrying him. He has lost his family and is going through much pressure with everything that is going on. He doesn't need feelings of uselessness," Joe answered. He put Z'ryk down who looked at Joe angrily.

" The-young-master-does-not-need-your-sym-pathy," Z'ryk said.

" On the contrary, I think he needs all they compassion given to him. All eyes are on him, after all. He is young and not as experienced as his elders. I think support is what he needs the most right now," Joe said. Z'ryk looked like it was taking every fiber of his being to stop himself from attacking Joe.

" Hey, let's not get hot-headed here. We're all probably just hungry so lets not do anything that we'll regret later on…" I said. Z'ryk calmed down a bit and nodded.

Joe led us to a table and I was mindful to sit between them. An attendant came over to us and asked for our orders. I didn't know what to say and Z'ryk just gave the attendant a blank stare.

" Well we'll have three astral flashes," he said. The attendant smiled, nodded, and then left.

" What is it that you just ordered?" I asked.

" Oh, it's a delicacy around here. There isn't any meat in it, so you don't need to worry about that sort of thing," he said.

I asked him if he knew anything else about my parents, but he said he would share what he knew later on. This annoyed me a little. Why not just tell me now? I asked him again and this time his answer was a little more satisfactory.

" All I feel compelled to tell you is that they were caught selling arms to some trade competitors. They were warned to stop, but they were caught again. The second time they were caught it was discovered that they were also giving away military secrets to several planets around this system. I would say more, but I see the attendant coming."

The waiter arrived with three plates, all of which were on blazing, but it didn't feel hot.

**The food is on fire. This is ridiculous.**

" Yeah, it does look a little weird," I said.

" Is that what he said? Well, the flame is just an illusion. Blow on it lightly and the dish will be revealed," said Joe. He demonstrated what to do, and the flames disappeared. Z'ryk and I did the same, and began to eat. I thought that whatever it was tasted a lot better than the hospital food.

After we ate, we left the dining room and looked for Xavin. He was standing with Steve and Paul at the end of the hallway and waved at us.

" Did everything go well?" I asked

" My uncle has been told of the news, and it turns out that it is also the first that he has heard of it. The Council was also just informed about it. To solve this problem, we're still working with Majesdane to catch the group that did the attacking. From there we'll see where they obtained their weapons from," he said.

" Shall we head to our rooms? I feel exceptionally tired right now," Xavin asked.

" Of course, young sir," Steve said. Paul and Steve began to fly upwards, while Joe took Z'ryk. I heard Xavin sigh softly before I put my arms around him and flew. After flying a couple of floors up, Xavin began to feel heavier.

" Hey Xavin, are you all right?" I asked. There was no reply. I looked down and saw that his eyes were closed. He probably fell asleep, so I didn't say anything more.

Steve stopped flying and told us that this was where the Skrulls in higher positions were staying. Joe placed Z'ryk down, where Z'ryk muttered a few curses under his breath.

" Open your eyes Xavin, we're here," I said. He still wouldn't move.

" We're always 'here'," I heard him mutter. I felt his body get hotter and hotter, up to the point where I couldn't hold on to him. I placed him on the floor, and pretty quickly it looked as if his body was on fire.

" What the hell is going on?" I yelled. Paul tried to grab Xavin, but his suit could not tolerate the heat for too long.

" I'll find help," he said. Z'ryk offered to go with him, and soon they were off.

Steve and Joe took off their power limiters and tried to carry Xavin with their energy. It seemed to help a little, because the flames began to recede. In a short time the flames were gone, but the moment they vanished, Steve and Joe were knocked back against the walls of the hallway. Steve tried to get up, but it seemed that whatever knocked him back, did so again. I then lost sight of Xavin because he turned invisible.

" Where are you?" I pleaded. I felt the space around me, but there was nothing there.

" My ghost is looking for you," a voice said. It was Xavin's female voice. I could barely hear it, but I tried to move in the direction it came from.

" What do you mean?" I asked. I hoped for a louder answer, but the voice was still soft:

" I don't know anymore."

I saw Xavin's figure reappear. She stood quietly for a short moment and then began to collapse. I caught her before she hit the floor. Z'ryk and Paul arrived with several Majesdane and Skrull guards.

" Please Xavin…"

Her eyes were still closed but she muttered very softly to me: **My ghost is looking for you**.


End file.
